The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-08-25
A DENIAL
Gladly Given Publicity.
AUSTIN, Texas, August 90, 1887.


ment of the colored people going to Cali
fornia. You say, also, that have declared
my intention of going myself. To these
statements return the following answer:
First OF all, you exaggerate this move
ment by styling it an exodus" In all,
not fifty persons have left, yet you write
editorials about it and call it an exodus,
because few colored people have gone
where they believed they could get better
wages.
Then it is said that started this move
ment. What ground is there for such an
assertion? How could such movement
benefit me? Over two years ago one of
the bishops of our church offered me the
state of California as one presiding ell
der's district. At that time / felt like
going, but my conference and bishop in
this state thought it best that should re-
main here. Since that time l have said
but little about it. Once since then DIR.
Wright handed me letter from some
point in Southern California, where
family wanted two servants, man and
his wife. tried to find the servants, but
| failed. So you see, have not attempted
to organize an exodus. If there are any
agents at the bottom of the movement
know nothing of them. If there are
politicians engaged in the exodus, have
no knowledge of it, as l have declined to
take any part in politics in our great
state, as is known to the leading
men in this state. When went to work
for prohibition l regarded it as moral
question, not as politics.
You say your information comes from
some of the people of my race. At this
time you can hear anything you want
about me from some of my race, simply
because chose to express my views on
prohibition, as there were some of my
people who thought as white fellow
thought, who said, on the Avenue, IN pres
ence of myself and wife, few days since,
that 1 ought to be hung. You can hear
most anything, indeed, but 1t is unjust to
give credit and notoriety to mere street
rumQrs.
Now, Mr.. Editor, am southern man,
born and reared in South Florida. 1 have
been for nine years resident and citizen
of Texas, four years in San Antonio and
five years in Austin. What property l
possess is in San Antonio. My home is
in Texas. There are many colored peo-
pie in Texas, many more than in Cali
fornia; and in my work as minister,
can do more good here. Since l have
been in Texas have labored earnestly for
the upbuilding of my people, morally and
educationally, as 1 expect to continue
doing. But such articles as the one in
your paper tend to do man harm harm
that do not deserve. 1t is true, persons
have asked my opinion about California,
I 20 hot x.,hiI Ala
not like to see them leave, l had nothing
to say against California.
The active part took in the late cam
paign has disposed some persons against
me who are glad of the opportunity to
use this movement against me. They
would have it appear that am laboring
to deprive Austin of its laboring people,
and that am tool in the hands of polit-
ical tricksters who want to carry Califor-
MIA for the republican party in 1883. 1t
would be just as well if these men would
leave me alone. The battle is over. l
accept the situation. / am satisfied with
my course. have nothing to regret. 1
think none the less of any man except one
who abused me without cause. hope you
will not charge to me everything that hap
pens among the colored people that you
may consider wrong, for God knows it is
my intention to advise that which is right
and best, and 1 have always labored to
bring about the best feeling between the
races. l have often spoken about the
condition Of my race, with such men as
Major r. j. Breckenridge, DR.. Bracken-
ridge, ex Governor Ireland, ex-Mayor
French, of San Antonio; Mr.. Ed. Stoves,
of San Antonio, and also Captain Gaines,
of your valuable paper. These gentlemen
have my views. Ask them. l have never
spent five years of my life more pleasantly
than I>have the five years spent in Austin,
until it was known that 1 advocated pro-
hibition. Since that time it has been
somewhat different. 1 had hoped it was
all over; but it does seem to me that
there are some who would like
to have me leave on account of my course
in the late campaign. The person who
told you that had declared my intention
to go to California did it with the inten.
ton of doing me an injustice and injury.
have made no such declaration, and if |
had, is that a crime? Have not the right
to go to wherever please, to any state
whatsoever, without being publicly accused
OF being the tool of political tricksters?
Within the last six months Messrs, Lark
Vance, James Glover, Dallas Bronson and
others, went to Los Angeles, CAL, and
wrote back to their friends here telling
them the condition of affairs out there,
and asking them to come. Some have
gone and others expect to go. Now, this
is the cause of the great exodus of which
HE STATESMAN speaks.
Times are dull here and many cannot
get work. know of families living in
this county who have had for food for
the last three months only bread and
what little milk they could squeeze
from their COWS. These people must get
work. See how many laboring men are
standing on the streets doing nothing.
The cotton crop, which furnishes labor to
SO many, is failure. Surely, we have
more labor here than we can utilize. SO,
if there are those among US who wish to
better their condition, why, let them go if
they want to. Who would stop them !?
You can find dozen letters
in Austin from Los Angeles like
the one l enclose, stating that
for common labor, men get $3.50 per day,
and women $1.50 per day. Walters get
$50 per month; nurses, $25 per month.
Now, colored people are laboriDg class,
depending entirely on daily labor, and
who would blame them for going where
they can get better wages?
In conclusion, would say to the people |
Ina an nNaN ~